NEWS AND EVENTS - Wednesday, June 14, 2107
FOUR DECADES OF THE YOUNGSTOWN CHURCH
On the Sunday of All Saints, June 11, 2017, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America made his first canonical visit to the Holy Trinity church-school congregation in Youngstown on the occasion of their Church Slava and the 40th anniversary of the concecration of their church.
This was also a historical moment as it was the first time that both parishes in Youngstown – both dedicated to the Holy Trinity – celebrated their Slava together. In front of the church, the children, with flowers and rose petals, welcomed their archpastor His Grace Bishop Irinej. Blessing all of those in attendance, the Bishop entered the church with the chanting of the hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos and began the Divine Liturgy with the concelebration of V. Rev. Stavrophor Djordje Mileusnic, of the Akron parish, Rev. Dragan Goronjic, dean of the Cleveland Deanery and host priest, Rev. Bosko Stojanovic, of the neighboring Youngstown parish, Rev. Sinisa Hrvacevic, of the Lorain parish, Rev. Vedran Grabic, of the Farrell parish and Deacon Jovan Anicic, director of Christian Education for the Diocese of Eastern America.
Adding to the beauty of the liturgical celebration were the voices and chanting of the choir from St. Sava Cathedral in Cleveland, led by choir director Milan Damjanovic. Attending the liturgy, apart from the local parishioners, were faithful from Lorain, Cleveland, Akron and Farrell.
During the Divine Liturgy Bishop Irinej elevated Rev. Dragan Goronjic to Protonamesnik for his zealous pastoral work, his personal efforts in the progress in the spiritual and faithful life in the parish entrusted him and in other duties.
After the Gospel reading the Bishop offered an inspiring homily in which he stressed the significance of love and community in God's Holy Church, pointing to Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.
At the conclusion of Litija together with the faithful and Slava kumovic, the Stanic family, His Grace blessed and broke the Slava kolach. Upon the recommendation of Protonamesnik Dragan Goronjic awareded the Episcopal Citation were Gradimir Stanic, church board president, and Mira Popovic, president of the Kolo Sestara.
Following the blessing from Bishop Irinej an agape meal was prepared where all the faithful were strengthened, accompanied by a cultural program during which the Morava folklore group from Cleveland performed. Attending the banquet meal were also V. Rev. Mioljub Matic, from Cleveland, V. Rev. Milan Pajic, from Akron and Protodeacon Ljubisa Mitrovic.
Source: Diocese of Eastern America
